Berkeley Community Church, UCC
"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." - Matthew 19:14
At BerkChurch, we believe in the children. They teach us about God everyday. So, it is fitting that we should place particular emphasis on how we minister, teach, play, and create sacred space for the children - through our ministries and through our building.
Children in Church
BerkChurch offers weekly childcare in the nursery for those aged 0-3.
We also provide a time during the worship service for the children to teach the congregation and share in the service. After that special time during the service, our young friends are invited to join one of our community volunteers for classroom time in which "Child Spirituality" is explored in age-appropriate ways.
Our Whole Lives - Sexuality and Spirituality Classes
The curriculum is called Our Whole Lives (check out the OWL assumptions here and parental information here). It is an amazing program! It is a comprehensive sexuality education grounded in the values of 1) self-worth, 2) safety and health, 3) respect and responsibility, and 4) justice and equality.
Given the lack of formalized education our children receive about their changing bodies laid alongside the constant barrage of signals and innuendo from culture, we cannot speak highly enough about the importance of creating an environment for this conversation with our kids. Our goal at Berkeley Church is help us all learn about and connect our sexuality and our spirituality in sacred ways. Knowledge is power. OWL programming is literally life-changing.
Let's Go Camping!
La Foret in the Black Forest near Colorado Springs provides camps for all ages. Campers will play, swim, hike, sing, eat, make crafts, hear stories, make new friends and more. The camp counselors keep everyone safe and show new ways to have fun outdoors. The camps are designed with the first-time-camper and younger-camper in mind, as well as seasoned campers.